Blogging A to Z: Interactive

Reading aloud is rarely a one-way conversation. Reading aloud should be a group effort! Throughout a story, encourage your child to answer questions about what’s happening or something that they can find in the illustrations. Asking questions about what they think might happen next is a great way to begin a dialog. Not only do these questions “test” comprehension, but they allow kids to use prediction and better understand how stories are formed. Reading is interactive.

Some of the best books to really interact together are wordless picture books. These stories are created without any words! They can be a little daunting when first checking them out, but let me give you some tips on the best way to use these awesome resources with your family.

How to Read a Wordless Book

First thing, “read” the book by going on a picture walk together. Flip through the story and see what is happening in each illustration. It’s much harder to read a wordless picture book, if you’ve never see what happens next. This reading is just about gathering up the details so that when you’re ready you can create a story as you turn the pages.

Once you’ve seen all the illustrations, go back to the beginning and start reading. Ask your child questions, have them help you tell the story about what’s going on. Wordless picture books have amazing illustrations, obviously because their job is to support you as the storyteller. Remember, there is no wrong way to read a wordless picture book, that’s what makes them so fun!

Let Children Tell the Story

Next time you pick up this book, encourage your little one to tell the story! Prompt them as needed, but allow their imagination and creativity time to bring together a story for you to enjoy. Take time to read together. This one is going to take some patience on your part. Children take a longer time to process information, directions, and questions. So rather than jumping in and talking for your child, give them time. It might feel like forever for you, but I promise those little brains are hard at work! When you see your child getting upset, that’s when you jump to help out! Wordless books are perfect ways to make reading time interactive for everyone involved!

The books I’m sharing today are almost all wordless picture books which means you need to become the storyteller – and the story can change every time you open the book!

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Book List #9 – Interactive

1. Black & White by Tana Hoban
   Perfect for the tiniest readers, with high contrast images.
2. Chalk by Bill Thomson
   A magical bag of chalk brings drawings to life!
3. The Girl and the Bicycle by Mark Pett
   A story of persistence as one little girl works hard to earn money for a new bicycle.
4. Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
   The zookeeper is doing his bedtime rounds saying good night to all the animals, but it’s not as quiet as it seems.
5. Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
   Harold’s purple crayon takes him on adventures created by his imagination! This one does have text (I completely forgot because of how simple and amazing the illustrations are)!
6. Journey by Aaron Becker
   Another story about the power of art as a young girl goes on a journey of a lifetime armed with a red marker.
7. The Line by Paula Bossio
   A little girl finds a line and follows it as it begins to twist and turn.
8. Pool by Jihyeon Lee
   Two shy children bond over swimming in the pool and use their imagination for adventures.
9. Professional Crocodile by Giovanna Zoboli, illustrated by Mariachiara Di Giorgio
   Crocodile gets ready for work every morning, but what does Crocodile do?
10. Sidewalk Flowers by Jonarno Lawson, illustrated by Sydney Smith
    A young girl collects wildflowers on a walk with her father and gives them to people in the neighborhood.
11. Truck by Donald Crews
    Follow a truck on its way to deliver a load of tricycles!
12. Tuesday by David Wiesner
    “It begins on Tuesday evening, when the frogs suddenly start to float…”

If you’re interested in purchasing any of the titles on this list, please use my affiliate link for Bookshop.org. When you purchase from this link, I will earn a commission as an affiliate.

For the month of April, I’ll be sharing early literacy tips and book lists as part of the Blogging A to Z Challenge. Learn about the importance of early literacy and ways to incorporate tips and tricks into your family’s daily routine. Developing language skills before kids head to school helps them to be ready to learn when they reach school-age. In addition to great content, you’ll also get a new book list for each letter, resulting in over 300 board book and picture book suggestions for your family to enjoy!